Laurena McDonald

Friday, March 11, 2011

Laurena McDonald, age 90, of Fonda, died March 5, 2011 at the Fonda Nursing and Rehab Center in Fonda.

Funeral services will be Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Fonda. Burial will be in Mt. Zion Cemetery in Fonda. The Mahaney Funeral Home in Fonda is in charge of the arrangements.

Laurena was born on March 7, 1920 to Ed and Veronica (Schulte) Mohr in Breda.

She was raised in the Breda area with three brothers and one sister. She and her sister Mardell moved to and worked in Goshen, Indiana where Laurena met her husband to be.

On Jan. 4, 1943 Laurena married James McDonald in Des Moines. In 1955 after the death of her husband, Laurena and her family moved to Fonda.

Laurena worked as a dental assistant to Dr. Elmer Duethman for many years. She had passion for cooking baking, especially cinnamon rolls. Laurena was able to share her love of cooking with others as she owned and operated "McDonald's Café" in Fonda, and later cooked for Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic School. She was a 50 year member of the Catholic Daughters of America and the Holy Family Society. She enjoyed crocheting, playing cards and visiting with friends. Laurena's pride and joy was her family, she cherished them and all the memories they were able to make.

Laurena is survived by three sons: Ed (Jeanne) of Litchfield Park, Ariz.; Leonard (Carol) of Storm Lake; Robert McDonald of West Valley, Utah; one step daughter Diane (McDonald) Lenning of Pomeroy; seventeen grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren; extended family and friends.

Laurena was preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Veronica (Schulte); husband, James; daughter, Donna Woxell; two grandsons, Benjamin Bohn and Leonard Woxell; three brothers: Lester, Everett, and Vernon; and one sister, Mardell Moriarty.